


Life Lines

by viralguardian



Series: Taking Chances [1]
Category: wholock - Fandom
Genre: BBC Sherlock - Freeform, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, First Meetings, M/M, Multi, One Night Stands, POV John Watson
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-03-14
Updated: 2013-05-27
Packaged: 2017-12-05 07:39:51
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,570
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/720522
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/viralguardian/pseuds/viralguardian
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A random encounter changes the life of John Watson...for good...</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Part I

It was well past noon when John's pounding headache eased off enough for him to take in his surroundings. He was sitting at café table down the street from his bedsit. He couldn't quite remember how he got there and could remember even less of last night. Maybe trying to forget the nightmares by drowning them in a bottle wasn't such a great idea after all.

John groaned and placed his hand to his head as it throbbed. The nightmares were getting worse. The screams, bombs and gunfire echoed through him. His heart clenched with fear and dread then began to race as his vision began to narrow. He found it difficult to breath. John leaned forward over his coffee, hands shaking, as he desperately fought against the anxiety attack. Slowly, he took deep breaths and focused on them. He couldn't take much more of this. Wasn't there one distraction on this earth that could make him forget for awhile.

"Rough night was it?"

John looked up and leveled a stern look at the person speaking to him. Who the hell dare'd bother a man with a hangover? Two tables away from him a tall man with short brown hair folded his newspaper and placed it on the table. The man gave him an insufferable smile and stood.

"Had many of them myself. Gives you a right wicked headache doesn't it." The man said sitting across from John and adjusting his leather jacket. Apparently, he didn't understand the look John was giving him.

"Yeah, mate. Leave it." John said shortly. The man's smile never wavered. He made no move to leave, only leaned forward tapping his fingers on the table before him.

"That coffee isn't going to work. " The man stopped tapping his fingers and folded his hands under his chin as if he were fascinated with John. John just gave him a look.

"I was planning on taking something with it. " John took a sip of his coffee and noticed his hands had stopped shaking.

"Right, like those pills you lot take. What are the called again? Oh, Tylenol. Not really going to help much either." The man shifted again. It was like he was in constant motion. John made a face of annoyance and set his coffee down.

"You're an expert are you then? Who the hell are you?" John said sourly. " I'm a doctor I'll have you know. I am more than capable of taking care of myself."

"Really?" The man's eyes widened with near excitement. "That's brilliant! I love meeting doctors. They always ask questions. I love questions. "

John sat back instinctively placing space between them. What was wrong with this man? Did he not get the hint that John wanted to be left alone?

"No, really. Who the hell are you?" John debated on whether or not his body would respond correctly if he tried to get up and leave. 

"Oh, I'm the Doctor." The man said as a matter-of-factly. " I have a present for you too."

As if on cue, the waitress walked up to the table and set down a glass of orange red liquid before John. John looked at in confusion then at the waitress.

"I didn't order this." John told her.

"No, sir, but he did." The waitress indicated to the Doctor before she promptly turned to leave. 

"So this is yours then?" John's head throbbed and he winced before indicating to the drink.

"I told you I had a present." The Doctor beamed. "It's a fruit drink. Rich in vitamins, water for hydration and it's delicious. I've had 4 already."

"Well, that explains it, doesn't it?" John said not realizing he spoke out loud. 

"Again with the questions! I love it!" The Doctor slid the drink closer to John. " Well go on then, drink up!"

John's jaw hinged in irritation.

"So, this is what you do? You go around finding people with hang overs, offer to buy them fruit drinks and hit on them? You're a right sod aren't you?" John pulled out a few pounds and threw them on the table before picking up his coffee to leave.

"Oh, come on." The Doctor said when John stood. "From one Doctor to another, you'll like it. "

"Not bloody likely, mate." John shrugged on his jacket.

"I'll make you a deal." The man leaned back. "Stay with me and drink this. If you like it and it makes you feel better, then you stay and have a conversation with me. If you hate the drink and don't feel any better, then you can go and I won't bother you further. Trust me though. I have some interesting stories to tell. You'll like them."

John stood for a moment looking down at this man wondering where in the world he came from. Out of nowhere he swoops in making John's head spin. He could listen to what this man had to say. It's not like John had anywhere pressing to go. Sure the man was a little odd, but he'd seen worse overseas. What harm would it do to have a drink and let the man babble? It is a free one after all. 

"Well, alright then, I suppose." John sat back down in his chair and placed his coffee on the table. He slid it to the side and pulled the other drink before him. "I'd be a good distraction."

"Brilliant."

 

Several hours later, John found himself feeling infinitely better and just as confused as he was when this all started. The Doctor, who skillfully avoided giving John his name, was right. The drink was a mixture of orange juice, strawberries and bananas. It was quite good and, so it seemed, was his company. 

The man seemed to have an infinite amount of energy and was astonishingly knowledgeable on quite a few subjects. Once John was feeling much better, he found he didn't mind the company. They spent hours talking at the cafe until the sun began to dip on the horizon. The Doctor had then decided to suggest a low key pub for supper. 

"If you would prefer not to, I'll understand. After all, I am a stranger." The Doctor said resting his chin on his hand and sending a look John's way. On the surface the look was innocent enough, but John could almost feel the heat in the man's gaze. The man even seemed amused by John's apparent reaction to the question. He hadn't made any obvious advances on John, but somehow John had the feeling he was being asked out. 

When John came back from the war, he had not even considered being with someone. In fact he had thought it best to stay away from all that considering his PTSD. Somehow though, at this very moment John didn't seem to care. Talking to this man had been the most fun he had had in a while. His instinct was to accept without question. However...

"I appreciate the offer, mate. I don't think it's wise for me to drink this early in the evening, though. I did just get over a hangover. " John said casually. 

"Right you are." The Doctor grinned. "I suppose we don't have to drink, but you should eat."

"Yeah, I suppose I could eat." John grinned back. He stood and reached into his pocket for his wallet. The Doctor stood as well and stopped John by placing a hand on his arm. They both froze for a moment, surprised by the action. The Doctor recovered quickly though and gave John's arm a little pat.

"Don't. This is on me." The Doctor said with a small smile.

"I am capable of…"Before John could finish, the Doctor interrupted.

"No. Seriously, on me." For the first time in nearly six hours, John actually saw this man grow serious. His voice was low and gentle, yet determined and steady. His eyes bore into John causing heat to spread through his body like a wild fire. John swallowed.

"Alright." John said voice slightly shaky. In a snap, the Doctor was grinning as he squeezed John's bicep gently. He turned leaving a stunned John in his wake as he left to pay the bill. 

John took a deep breath and slid his wallet into his pocket. He breathed out with a rush of air and cursed under his breath. Where had all this come from? Was this man subtly seducing him? It was hard for John to know for sure. John hadn't been with a man since before he left the service. Even then, there wasn't much seduction in the trenches. 

John froze for a moment when he realized that he hadn't thought about the war since the Doctor had invited himself to join John at his table. The Doctor was proving to be a great distraction. When John looked towards the Doctor, the other man was waving for John to follow with a bright grin. John couldn't help but to grin in response. Throwing caution to the wind, John followed the Doctor.


	2. Part II

It was a quaint little pub they found not too far from where John was staying. When they entered, a boisterous party was underway. John looked over at the Doctor and then looked away shaking his head. He swore every time he looked at the man he had a bigger grin on his face. The Doctor was watching the singing group of what looked like some Irishmen with enthusiasm as he gently lead John to a booth behind them. 

“This is a fun song, isn’t it?” the Doctor asked John as they sat down.

“More like annoying and loud.” John answered truthfully covering his ears as one particularly loud singer swung his way jostling the table. The Doctor laughed out loud and helped the man to stagger in the other direction. Despite himself, John could not help but to laugh along with him.

“When you invited me to supper, I didn’t expect it to be at such a crowded place.” John said with a chuckle. “We here for a reason?”

“It’s that guy’s birthday,” the Doctor pointed out to a red-headed man sitting at the bar laughing and having a drink with a blond woman. 

“Ah, so you know him then?” John asked as he folded his hands in front of him. The Doctor’s attentions were still on the gathered group. He was bobbing in his seat and laughing along with them.

“Ah ha…” The Doctor laughed looking back towards John. “Not a clue.”

“Doctor…” John began suddenly getting a bad feeling about the situation. One of the bartenders interrupted him to get their order.

“Hello!” the Doctor greeted the man. “We’ll have the special. Whatever it is, and one of those fizzy drinks that they are drinking.”

“Oh, you mean the house specialty?” the man smiled. “Have fun with that one.”

“No alcohol in mine, thanks.” John said, a little irritated that the Doctor had just ordered for them.

“Sure thing.” The man turned to fill their order.

“Doctor, why are we here?” John asked once the bartender was gone. “Why are we here for a birthday party for someone you don’t even know? Are we even allowed to be here?”

“Relax, John,” the Doctor said finally giving John his full attention. “It’s a party! Not like anyone will notice.”

The Doctor leaned forward on his arms. This time his smile was different. If John didn’t know better, he would think that the Doctor was flirting. John cleared his throat and gave him a no nonsense look. The Doctor only propped his head on his hand and grinned.

“Do you ever stop grinning?” John said gesturing with his hand.

“Nope,” he replied.

“You are always grinning. Are you really this happy all the time?” John shifted under the Doctor’s gaze. There was no mistaking the heat in the man’s gaze as he grinned at John. John swallowed. Even though he was still slightly annoyed being in a crowded pub and that the Doctor had ordered for him, he had to admit that he was still interested. Before John could say something to move this line of thinking along the blond from earlier slid into the seat next to the Doctor jamming him against the wall.

“Oh, hello,” the Doctor greeted her with a smile. He didn’t even seem annoyed by her intrusion. John’s face fell into a look of annoyance.

“Oy, you wouldn’t believe the nerve of him,” the woman slurred gesturing widely with her drink. She brought the glass to her lips only to realize that it was empty. The bartender from earlier slid by the table and served their drinks. Before John could take a drink of his, the woman swiped it. She took a sip, made a face, and shoved it back his way.

“You some kind of pansy?” she said to John as she swiped the Doctor’s drink from his hands.

“Oy!” the Doctor remarked before John could say anything in his defense. “That’s my drink! And that’s my date you’re talking to like that. Stop that.” He removed his drink from the woman’s hands.

“Oh, I see how it is!” the woman raved. “I just can’t win!”

“Look,” John said pointing a finger at her. “I don’t know who you are, but you are obviously sloshed. Run along back to your boyfriend.”

At John’s statement, the woman began to tear up and sob.

“Oh, now…,” the Doctor said offering the woman his shoulder. “No need for that.” He gave John a look-what-you-did-now look. John sighed and shrugged.

“He’s mean,” the woman sobbed. “My boyfriend is so mean to me. He’s over there flirting with some chit and doesn’t care about me.”

John looked up to find that the woman was right. The red-headed man from earlier was all over a brunette on the opposite side of the pub. The man turned, now looking John’s way. John looked away and took in the situation. This was about to get ugly. All he had wanted to do tonight was have dinner with his new friend…maybe take him back to his place or something. Now they were stuck in the middle of some lover quarrel in a pub full of drunken revelers which could only lead to one thing…

…and he was actually excited about it. Something must be wrong with him.

John took a slow sip of his drink as the man angrily approached them.

“Oy, get your hands off my girl,” the man fumed. The woman jumped at the suddenness of his statement and the Doctor took that at an advantage to throw his hands up in surrender.

“No problem here. She’s just a little sloshed. No harm done,” the Doctor said with one of his smiles. John swore the man had an arsenal of them.

“That’s not how I see it mate. Come on, we’re leaving,” the man said gripping his girlfriend’s arm tightly. She cried out for him to stop. John’s hand shot out and took hold of the man’s bicep.

“She’s not going anywhere,” John announced dangerously. “She doesn’t want you mate. Take your hands off her.”

Out of the corner of John’s eye he saw a change in the Doctor’s expression. It was a look he had not expected to see on his new friend’s face but in this situation it was well received.

“You get your hands off me! She’s my girlfriend!” the man exclaimed as John stood.

“What’s going on over here?” One of the singing men came over to assess the situation.

“These two gits are hitting on me girl!” the boyfriend exclaimed to his friend.

“Oh, what do you care!” The woman finally spoke up. “You were all over her! What difference does it make? Now get the hell out of my face!”

“You heard her,” John said in a low tone. “Leave her alone.”

“Not going to happen,” the boyfriend responded. Before, John could argue further the man’s friend took the first swing.

With practiced ease, and using the man’s inhibited state against him, John easily ducked the blow. Using the table as leverage, he kicked out at the boyfriend, knocking him back and opening the way for John to slide out of the booth. John got out just in time to duck again and tackle the man. They both slammed into a post. The boyfriend brought his fists down on top of John’s back. John cried out, releasing the man, and got a knee to the stomach.

John staggered back clutching his stomach. He looked up just in time to see the boyfriend coming at him until the man was knocked over by two fighting red-heads. When he looked in the direction they had come, he saw the Doctor had just dodged them, drink in hand. The grin he sent John went straight to John’s groin. Damn that man.

The pub had erupted into chaos after the start of John’s fight. The woman from earlier had apparently fled. In fact, most of the women in the pub were gone. Another person swung at the Doctor, but he deftly dodged it, not spilling a drop. He settled onto a stool. John tried to make his way over to the Doctor, but was tackled from the side.

The wind was knocked out of him as he hit the floor. He shook his head dazed and took a fist to his jaw. Anger hit him like a blow to the gut. He was not going to be someone’s punching bag. He took hold of the man’s hand before he could swing at John again. He twisted the man’s wrist, causing just enough pain to distract him and punched the man back. The man fell to the side, freeing John. Before John could get to his feet, The Doctor was there offering him a hand. John took it and got to his feet.

“Think maybe we ought to get out of here?” John asked him. The Doctor only gave him one of his insufferable grins. Out of the corner of John’s eye he could see the boyfriend was making his way towards John with a charge. John steeled himself and began to turn to take the man on. Out of nowhere, the Doctor’s arm shot out. The boyfriend charged right into it, catching him right in the neck and knocking him to the floor. The Doctor placed his hand on John’s shoulder and used the arm to wrap around John’s shoulder.

“Ooh, sorry ‘bout that. Didn’t see you there,” the Doctor said to the boyfriend on the floor as he ushered John toward the door. He left a few pounds in the tip jar by the door as John blinked dumbfounded.

The night air hit them with musty humidity. John moved away from the Doctor. The adrenaline rush was starting to fade and the pain was starting to make its presence known.

“That was horrible,” John said out of breath as he leaned his back against the wall and his hands on his knees. Truthfully, that was the last thing he wanted to say, but he couldn’t tell the doctor the truth. How weird would the man think he was if he got off on brawls like this?

“That was exciting!” the Doctor said practically dancing in his excitement. “Good old fashioned pub brawl. Never changes.”

“You actually found that fun?” John said disbelievingly. He had the odd feeling that the man had read his thoughts but that was silly. The Doctor sobered up and moved into John’s personal space. John stood straighter in response.

“Didn’t you?” The Doctor said lowly. John breathed in. The man was way too close for John to even consider that he was not being hit on.

“You were a soldier once, weren’t you?” John asked swallowing.

“So were you,” the Doctor said, giving John a look that confirmed his previous suspicion about the look the Doctor had given him before the fight. He only wondered what the man was waiting for.

“I’m a doctor,” John said as the Doctor’s face drew closer.

“So am I,” the Doctor breathed against John’s mouth. John swallowed just before the Doctor kissed him. The kiss was like and electric shock to his system. John’s whole body buzzed as the Doctor’s hands followed, one gripping John’s hip and the other thrust into his hair gripping the back of his head.

John groaned, allowing the Doctor to slip his tongue past John’s lips. John pulled the Doctor’s hips closer, rewarding him with a groan in kind. John had never had sex in a dark alley, but he was way beyond being opposed to the idea.

As if sensing John’s intentions, the Doctor pulled back slightly. “Please, John,” he breathed, teasing John’s lower lip.

A tremor of need passed through John when the Doctor said his name. It almost sounded like a plea for permission. John briefly wondered what part of what they had just done gave the man any indication that John would say no.

“Not here,” the Doctor said as a crash sounded. He looked over at the source of the sound, but John could care less. He used his hand to bring the Doctor’s face back to his and kissed him. Not quite as passionate as the Doctor’s but that was the intention.

“Yes,” John said pulling back. “My place is around the corner.”

The Doctor groaned and kissed him again.


End file.
